Apparatus and method for producing sandwich cookie having dissimilarly-sized base cakes

ABSTRACT

A cookie cup sandwich cookie having dissimilarly-sized base cakes is continuously produced by applying a layer of filler cream to a lower base cake and applying an upper base cake to the lower base cake so that the outer periphery of the upper base cake surrounds the layer of filler cream. The apparatus for the production of the sandwich cookies includes at least one rotary molder for producing lower base cakes and upper base cakes having different sizes, a filler cream depositor that deposits a layer of filler cream on each of the lower base cakes, and a conveyer system for transporting and at least substantially concentrically aligning the dissimilarly sized lower and upper base cakes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for making asandwich cookie comprising two base cakes having a dissimilar geometryand a filler cream between the two base cakes. The present inventionalso relates to filled cookie cup sandwich cookies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sandwich cookies are made from two equally-sized cookie halves and acream filler. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,524 to Welch discloses amachine for automatically making sandwiches having filler materiallocated between two cookie halves. The machine comprises a dividingmechanism for receiving rows of cookie halves and for directingalternate rows of cookie halves to a top conveyor and a bottom conveyor.A filler applicator is located above the bottom conveyor for applyingfilling to the rows of cookie halves on the bottom conveyor. The topconveyor transports rows of cookie halves and deposits them at asandwich location downstream from the filler applicator.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,098,909 and 4,194,443, both to Mims, disclose a methodand apparatus for depositing filling on cookie halves having a flat sideup. A vacuum pick-up device raises rows of cookie halves having a flatside down and deposits them on the filled cookie halves.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,453 to Fay discloses a sandwiching machine forassembling sandwiches that comprise two cookies with a cream fillerbetween them. A conveyor feeds cookies to a cream depositor whichdeposits a layer of cream on the cookies. Then, another cookie isdeposited on the layer of cream and the assembled sandwiches aredelivered to a stacker. The cookies are supported by a taut wirearrangement. Pin-like fingers of a conveyor chain slide the cookiesalong the supporting wires. The cream depositor comprises a tubularshaft having a pair of stencil ports around which a depositor drumrotates. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,453 to Fay isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,920 to Rose et al. discloses an automaticsandwiching machine for cookies. A cookie is deposited from a magazineonto taut parallel wires and conveyed along the wires by pins extendingupwardly carried by links of endless chains of a conveyor. A turn-overwheel transfers the cookie from the magazine design-side down onto theparallel wires and then a cream valve or stencil applies cream to theplain side of the cookie. Another cookie is then applied to the creamwith the design-side up. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,920 toRose et al. is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,021 to Rose et al. discloses a sandwiching machinefor applying cream, for example, a chocolate or vanilla flavoredfilling, jelly, peanut butter or the like, to at least two laterallyspaced rows of cookies traveling along the sandwiching machine. Thesandwiching machine includes a stencil means for applying cream to thecookies in a uniform manner. The stencil assembly comprises a stencilsleeve and a stencil rotatable thereon. The stencil has spaced apartdischarge orifices. The stencil sleeve has inlets at each side of thedischarge orifices and valve means for controlling the flow of creamthrough the discharge orifices. A cream hopper communicates with thestencil sleeve inlets. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,021 to Roseet al. is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Cookie halves may be made by a rotary die molding machine. U.S. Pat. No.5,297,947 to Cardinali discloses a rotary die molding machine for makingcookies, biscuits, and other baked goods. The machine includes a bore ormolding cavity in a rotary die roll and a plastic wafer or insertsnapped into the cavity. The plastic insert has a design on its face forimprinting a design onto the bakery dough.

Rotary molding, which is a preferred dough processing system due to itshigh speed capabilities, does not accommodate processing a deep-walledcookie or cookie cup. Deep-walled cookie pieces do not tend to readilyrelease from the rotary mold as a result of adhesion of the dough to thelarge mold cavity. In addition, known sandwiching processes and machinesdo not accommodate the assembling of rotary-molded cookie pieces havinga dissimilar geometry.

The present invention provides for the continuous, mass production ofdeep-walled cookie pieces or cookie cups containing a filler byprocessing of two, rotary molded cookie pieces having a dissimilargeometry. After baking, the two dissimilarly-sized molded pieces can beassembled using a modified sandwiching machine to form a cream-filledsandwich cookie having a cup-like shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for continuously producing asandwich cookie having dissimilarly-sized base cakes and for producingfilled deep-walled cookies or cookie cups. In embodiments of theinvention an upper base cake surrounds and hides from view, the sideedge of a layer of filler cream. The filler cream layer may be visiblethrough the top of the top base cake in some embodiments and not visiblethrough the top in other embodiments. A layer of filler cream may beapplied to a lower base cake, then an upper base cake may be applied tothe lower base cake so that the outer periphery of the upper base cakesurrounds the layer of filler cream. In preferred embodiments, thediameter of the upper base cake is larger than the diameter of the lowerbase cake to provide a cup shape configuration or profile.

The apparatus for the production of the sandwich cookies includes atleast one rotary molder for producing lower base cakes and upper basecakes and a filler cream depositor that deposits a layer of filler creamon each of the lower base cakes. A conveyer system transports and alignsthe upper and lower base cakes. The conveyer system comprises aplurality of parallel wires and a plurality of pin assemblies that aremoveable along the wires. The pin assemblies push and align the lowerand the upper base cakes along the parallel wires.

Each pin assembly contains a pin and a pin jacket that preferably snapsonto each pin. In embodiments of the invention, the pin jacket has a topportion and a bottom portion, where the top portion has a diametersmaller than the diameter of the bottom portion to guide and align a topbase cake having a larger diameter than a bottom base cake. Thestructure of the pin jacket allows for the at least substantiallyconcentric alignment of the dissimilarly-sized lower base cake and upperbase cake.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a sandwich cookie according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the sandwich cookie of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a sandwich cookie according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the sandwich cookie of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sandwich cookie of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the sandwich cookie of FIG. 1 showing alower base cake, filler cream, and an upper base cake according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sandwich cookie of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the sandwich cookie of FIG. 3 showing alower base cake, filler cream, and an upper base cake according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic of apparatus for producing sandwich cookiesaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a partial top perspective view of sandwiching apparatus forproducing sandwich cookies according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a partial side view of an apparatus of the present inventionshowing transportation and alignment of sandwich cookies havingdissimilarly-sized base cakes.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a pin jacket according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 13 is a top view of the pin jacket of the present invention shownin FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Sandwich cookies having dissimilarly sized base cakes may becontinuously produced with deep side walls surrounding a filler cream toprovide a cookie-cup shape. Rotary molding may be employed to produceupper and lower base cakes which are transported and aligned with eachother and a layer of filler cream. Preferably, the upper base cake has alarger diameter than the diameter of the lower base cake to provide atapered cup shape. An outer edge or periphery of the larger, upper basecake extends beyond an outer edge or periphery of the smaller, lowerbase cake and surrounds the layer of filler cream. The base cakes andthe filler cream may be aligned at least substantially concentricallyand transported in the concentric configuration in accordance with thepresent invention even though the upper base cake has a substantiallylarger diameter than the diameter of the lower base cake.

Two embodiments of a cup-shaped sandwich cookie in accordance with thepresent invention are shown in FIGS. 1-8. FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6 show afirst embodiment where the filler cream is not visible through the topof the top base cake. FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8 show a second embodimentwhere the filler cream is visible through the top of the top base cake.As shown in FIGS. 1-8, both embodiments of a sandwich cookie 1 accordingto the present invention comprises a lower, small base cake 5 and anupper, larger base cake 10. The lower, small base cake may have at leastsubstantially flat top and bottom surfaces, 11, 12, respectively. Thetop surface 12 may be larger than the bottom surface 11 of the lowerbase cake 5. A layer of filler cream 15 is applied to the lower basecake, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8.

In embodiments, the filler cream 15 may be, for example, a chocolate orvanilla flavored filling (e.g., OREO® icing), a fruit filling, jam,jelly, peanut butter, a cheese flavored filling, and the like. Thefiller cream layer 15 may have an at least substantially flat topsurface 16 which is smaller than an at least substantially flat bottomsurface 17 of the filler cream layer 15 as a result of conforming to theupwardly tapered inner walls 28 of the top base cake 10. The larger,upper base cake 10 is then applied to the smaller, lower base cake 5 sothat the outer edge or periphery 7 of the upper base cake 10 surroundsthe layer of filler cream 15 on the lower base cake 5 and extends beyondan outer edge or periphery 8 of the lower base cake 5.

In the first embodiment, the upper base cake 10 may have an annularshoulder 20 and a central recessed area or indentation 25 for receivingthe filler cream layer 15, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The fillercream layer 15 may conform to the shape of the cavity 26 formed by thecentral recessed area 25 and annular shoulder 20 when the upper basecake 10 is placed or pressed onto the lower base cake 5. As shown inFIG. 5, the inner wall 28 of the annular shoulder 20 at leastsubstantially completely surrounds the outer periphery or outer edge 18of the filler cream layer 15 so that outer edge 18 is essentially notvisible from all sides of the sandwich cookie. A very thin portion ofthe filler cream layer 15 may be present between the bottom-most surface30 of the upper base cake 10 or bottom wall 30 of the annular shoulder20 and the top surface 11 of the bottom base cake 5 to help glue oradhere the bottom base cake 5 and top base cake 10 together.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8, a second embodiment of a sandwichcookie may comprise a lower base cake 5 with substantially flat top andbottom surfaces 11, 12 and a ring-shaped upper base cake 10. A layer offiller cream 15 may be applied to the lower base cake 5, as shown inFIG. 7 and FIG. 8 in known manner using conventional sandwichingapparatus. In both the first and second embodiments, the bottom-mostsurface 30 of the upper base cake 10 is preferably ring-shaped orannularly shaped as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. In the second embodiment,the upper base cake 10 has a central opening or hole 31 for receivingthe filler cream layer 15, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 when the upperbase cake 10 is set in place on the bottom base cake 5. The filler creamlayer 15 may conform to the shape of the hole 31 when the upper basecake 10 is placed or pressed onto the lower base cake 5. As shown inFIG. 7, the inner wall 28 of the upper base cake 10 at leastsubstantially completely surrounds the outer periphery or outer edge 18of the filler cream layer 15 so that outer edge 18 is essentially notvisible from the sides of the sandwich cookie. In the second embodiment,shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8, a very thin portion of the filler creamlayer 15 may be present between the bottom-most surface 30 of the upperbase cake 10 and the top surface 11 of the bottom base cake 5 to helpglue or adhere the bottom base cake 5 and top base cake 10 together.

In the second embodiment, the entire upper base cake 10 is in the formof a ring, so that once the upper base cake 10 is applied to the lowerbase cake 5, at least a portion of the top surface 16 of the fillercream layer 15 may be visible through the upper base cake 10, as shownin FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. If the filler cream 15 does notcompletely fill the hole 31 in the ring-shaped upper base cake 10, acoating (not shown), may be applied to the top 16 of the filler cream 15through the opening 31 in the upper base cake 10. In embodiments of theinvention, the coating may be applied to all surfaces of the sandwichcookie to completely enrobe the sandwich cookie within the coating. Thecoating may be a chocolate coating or a compound coating, such as avanilla, peanut butter, mint, or fruit flavored compound coating.

The lower and upper base cakes may each have a variety of geometricalshapes and sizes. In embodiments, the lower base cake 5 may have acircular, rectangular, square, triangular, elliptical, hexagonal, ortrapezoidal shape or may have an inverted frustoconical shape. Thelarger upper base cake 10 may be ring-shaped; may have a circular,rectangular, square, triangular, elliptical, hexagonal or trapezoidalshape; or may have an inverted frustoconical shape. The shapes of theupper base cake 10 and the lower base cake 5 may be the same ordifferent, but are preferably the same. In preferred embodiments, thelower base cake 5 and the upper base cake 10 may each have a generallycircular outer edge 8, 7, respectively as shown in FIGS. 1-8. Accordingto the present invention, the upper and the lower base cakes are atleast substantially concentrically aligned. In preferred embodiments, alower base cake 5 and a larger upper base cake 10 both have an invertedfrustoconical shape, resulting in a sandwich cookie that is cup-shaped,as shown in FIGS. 1-8.

According to a method for making the sandwich cookie, the lower andupper base cakes may be rotary-molded from a dough to obtain rotarymolded dough pieces. Differently shaped upper and lower base cakes maybe produced on the same rotary molder or on different rotary molders.The dough pieces may be baked in an oven and then laminated with thefiller cream in accordance with the present invention to obtain acookie-cup sandwich cookie.

In the lamination process, a layer of filler cream 15 may be depositedonto the lower base cake 5 in known manner using conventionalsandwiching apparatus which may be modified to accommodate thetransportation and alignment of different sized base cakes in accordancewith the present invention. The bottom surface 17 of the layer of fillercream 15 may completely contact the top surface 11 of the bottom basecake 5. The larger upper base cake 10 may then be applied onto thelaminated lower base cake 5 with the modified sandwiching apparatus sothat the upper base cake 10 surrounds the outer edge 18 of the layer offiller cream 15, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7. After the upper basecake 10 is applied to the laminated lower base cake 5, the outer edge 18of the filler cream layer 15 is not visible. The top surface 16 of thelayer of filler cream 15 may completely contact the bottom surface ofthe upper base cake 10 in embodiments as shown in FIG. 5. The topsurface 16 of the filler cream 15 may not contact the bottom surface ofthe upper base cake 10 in embodiments having rings shaped upper basecakes 10 as shown in FIG. 7. In preferred embodiments, a peripheralportion of the filler cream layer 15 may be compressed between thebottom surface 30 of the upper base cake 10 and the upper surface 11 ofthe lower base cake 5 without exposing the outer edge 18 of the fillercream layer 15 to help glue or adhere the top base cake 10 to the lowerbase cake 5.

According to the present invention, as schematically shown in FIG. 9, anapparatus for the production of sandwich cookies 1 havingdifferent-sized base cakes may include at least one rotary molder 32 forrotary molding a dough 33 into dough pieces 34. The dough pieces 34 maybe transported using belts and transferring equipment 38 to a continuouszone oven 39 having an oven band 40. The dough pieces 34 may be baked inoven 39 into lower base cakes 5 and upper base cakes 10 which may have alarger diameter than the lower base cakes 5. The lower base cakes 5 andupper base cakes 10 may be transported by one or more conveyer belts 41to a cookie sandwiching machine 42 having base cake magazines 43. Thesandwiching machine 42 may include a conventional filler cream depositor44 which deposits a layer of filler cream 15 on each of the lower basecakes 5. The sandwiching machine 42 may further include a conveyersystem 45 for transporting and at least substantially concentricallyaligning the lower base cakes 5 and the upper base cakes 10.

Commercially available rotary molders may be used in the apparatus ofthe present invention, such as those produced by Weidenmuller Co.,Morton Grove, Ill. Exemplary of rotary die molding machines which may beemployed in the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,064,504 to Jefferies and U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,947 to Cardinali, thedisclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

In embodiments of the invention, the rotary molder 32 may include a feedhopper 46 for feeding of a dough mass 33 to a rotating feed drum or roll47. The rotating feeding drum 47 can be corrugated or provided with aplurality of peripheral transverse ribs (not shown) for feedingpurposes. The rotating feed drum 47 may be mounted on bearings supportedon a frame (not shown). Positioned adjacent to and in peripheral contactwith the rotating feeding drum 47 may be a rotary molding drum or dieroll 48. The rotary molding drum 48 may be provided with a plurality ofmolding cavities or dies 49 positioned in a particular arrangement aboutthe peripheral surface of the rotary molding drum 48. The rotary moldingdrum 48 may be rotatably mounted on bearings supported by the frame (notshown). Positioned beneath the rotary molding drum 48 is a pressing drumor forming roll 50. The pressing drum or forming roll 50 is mounted onbearings supported on the frame (not shown).

A continuous web conveyor 51 may be supported on a plurality of guiderollers 52 and fed between the rotary molding drum 48 and the pressingdrum 50. The continuous web conveyor 51 may be made of a fabric-typecomposite material with which the individual dough pieces 34 beingformed preferentially adhere verses the inner surfaces of the moldingcavities 49 in order to remove the individual pieces therefrom. Theindividual dough pieces 34 effectively adhere to the continuous webconveyor 51 to maintain substantially the same pattern or alignment ofthe individual pieces 34 as they had in the cavities 49 of the rotarymolder die roll 48. The drums 47, 48, and 50 of the rotary moldingapparatus 32 and the continuous web conveyor 51 may be driven byconventional drives (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 9, rotary molding apparatus 32 may include a tensioningdevice comprising tensioning rollers 53. Further, the continuous webconveyor 51 may be fed over a blade or noser 53 for discharging theindividual dough pieces 34 onto another conveyor 38 leading, forexample, to a baking oven 39.

As shown in FIG. 9, the dough 33 is fed into the molding cavities 49 ofthe rotary molding drum 48 by the rotating feeding drum 47. A wiper orscraper blade 54, may be used to remove any excess dough materialextending above the molding cavities 49. The individual dough piecesformed in the molding cavities 49 are transferred into and through thenip 55 between the rotary molding drum 48 and pressing drum 50 to enabletransferring and adhesion of the dough pieces 34 to the continuous webconveyor 51.

The individual dough pieces 34 may be transferred from the rotarymolding apparatus 32 to the oven 39 in the particular arrangementdictated by the spatial arrangement of the molding cavities 49 on theperipheral surface of the rotary molding drum 48.

In embodiments of the invention, the at least one rotary molder 32 maybe used to produce both the lower base cakes 5 and the larger upper basecakes 10. For example, one half of each rotary molder may include rotarymolder die cups for producing the lower base cakes 5 and the other halfof each rotary molder may include die cups for producing the upper basecakes 10. The lower base cakes 5 and the upper base cakes 10 may betransported to separate magazines of the sandwiching machine 42 inconventional manner. In other embodiments, the apparatus may contain aplurality of rotary molders arranged in series and/or parallel forproducing lower base cakes 5 and upper base cakes 10. For example, theupper base cakes 10 may be produced by one or more serially or parallelarranged rotary molders and the lower base cakes 5 may be produced byone or more different serially or parallel arranged rotary molders.After a dough is rotary-molded to form the lower and upper base cakes 5,10, the lower and upper base cakes 5, 10 may be transported usingconventional conveyor belts and base cake transferring equipment 38 tothe oven belt 40 of oven 39 for baking and then sandwiching with cookiesandwiching machine 42

The sandwiching machine 42 may be a conventional sandwiching machinewhich is modified in accordance with the present invention with a pininsert, pin sleeve or pin jacket to accommodate and at leastsubstantially concentrically align differently sized upper and lowerbase cakes. Conventional sandwiching machines equipped with a conveyorsystem for modification in accordance with the present invention includecookie sandwiching machines made by APV Baker, Peterborough, UK (e.g.,an APV High Speed Creamer or Pile Pack Creamer sandwiching machine), andPeters Machinery Company, Chicago, Ill. Sandwiching machines which maybe modified in accordance with the present invention are disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 2,993,453 to Fay, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,920 to Rose etal, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference intheir entireties.

The sandwiching machine may be mounted on a main frame with upstream anddownstream magazines that are longitudinally aligned and feed a conveyersystem equipped with base cake conveying pins and cake supporting wires.The lower base cakes may be removed one-by-one from an upstream magazineby a plurality of pins that are moveable along a plurality of supportingwires. Generally, the pins are arranged in pairs in a plane which isgenerally perpendicular to two generally parallel support wires. Eachpair of pins pushes each lower base cake which is supported on the topsof the wires to a cream depositor for deposition of the filler creamupon the lower base cake. After deposition of the filler cream, thelower base cakes with the deposits of filler cream are transported bythe pins along the plurality of parallel wires to a downstream magazinefrom which the upper base cake is deposited to form a sandwich cookie.

The cream depositor may be any conventional depositor that applies afiller cream to a lower base cake. In embodiments, the cream depositormay comprise a tubular shaft having a one or more stencil ports aroundwhich a depositor drum rotates. The filler cream is fed to the tubularshaft and flows through the one or more stencil ports onto the lowerbase cakes. As the depositor drum rotates, a cutoff wire cuts off thefiller cream for each stencil, thereby leaving a defined deposit offiller cream on the lower base cake. The cream depositor of U.S. Pat.No. 2,993,453 to Fay is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. Further, the stencil assembly and cream hopper of U.S. Pat.No. 4,469,021 to Rose et al. are also incorporated herein by referencein its entirety.

The conveyor system, including the supporting wires and pin-like fingersand magazines, and the cream depositor, cutoff wire, stencil, chains,and rails of U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,453 to Fay are incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. Similarly, the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No.4,329,920 to Rose et al., including the parallel wires, pins, endlessconveyor chains, motors, drives, and cream-applying valve or stencil, isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In conventional sandwiching machines, the pins or fingers are generallycylindrically shaped and align the trailing edges of the top and bottombase cakes in the same vertical plane. For base cakes which are the samesize, the leading edges of the base cakes would also be aligned in onevertical plane and the bottom and top base cakes would be alignedconcentrically with each other. However, if such conventional straightpins are employed with dissimilarly sized bottom and top base cakes, thetrailing edges of the base cakes would be aligned in the same verticalplane but the leading edges would be in different vertical planesresulting in off-centered top base cakes.

In accordance with the present invention, pin assemblies are providedwhich align the trailing edges of differently sized top and bottom basecakes in different vertical planes so that the top and bottom base cakesare at least substantially concentrically aligned with each other in thesandwich cookie. The conventional straight or cylindrical pins ofconventional sandwiching apparatus may be retrofit with a pin insert,sleeve or jacket to obtain a pin assembly in accordance with the presentinvention. In other embodiments, the conventional cylindrical orstraight pins may be replaced with an integral piece or assembly whichprovides the same profile or shape which is provided by the pin and pinjacket arrangement.

Also, in conventional sandwich cookie production, the top base cake isdeposited upon the layer of filler cream and does not contact the lowerbase cake. However, in the production of a cookie-cup sandwich cookie inaccordance with the present invention, the upper base cake contacts thelower base cake as well as the layer of filler cream. The pin assembliesof the present invention provide for precise placement and centering ofthe top base cake for proper contact with both the lower base cake andthe filler cream. The placement and alignment result in at leastsubstantial concentricity and at least substantially parallelorientations with respect to the lower and upper base cakes of thesandwich cookie.

A sandwich cookie conveyer system 45 having pin assemblies 57 fortransporting and concentrically aligning bottom base cakes Sand top basecakes 10 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated inFIGS. 9-13. The plurality of parallel base cake supporting wires 58extend between opposing pairs of pin assemblies 57 as shown in FIGS. 10and 11. The pin assemblies 57 may each be attached to links of endlesschains 60 of the modified conveyor system 45 via a connector or sideplate 65. The connector or side plate 65 may be screwed into, rivetedto, or otherwise attached or fastened via a fastener 67 to the top orside wall of the chain 60 in conventional manner as shown in FIGS. 10and 11. Each pin assembly 57 may be fastened to the connector or sideplate 65 by a screw or bolt or other conventional fastener which extendsthrough or from the side plate 65 into the pin 75 of the pin assembly57. The endless chains 60 may be driven by a motor, for example, anelectric motor (non shown) or the like around sprockets such as endsprocket 72 as shown in FIG. 11.

Each of the pin assemblies 57 comprises a pin 75. The pin 75 is modifiedby the addition of a pin insert, sleeve or jacket 80, as shown in FIGS.10-13. The pin jacket 80 preferably snaps onto or is press fit over thepin 75. In other embodiments, the pin jacket 80 may be secured to eachpin 75 by a screw or by an adhesive. The pin jacket 80 may be made fromany suitable material, for example plastic.

The pin jacket 80 has a top portion 85 and a bottom portion 90, as shownin FIGS. 10-13. In preferred embodiments, the top portion 85 has adiameter or width smaller than the diameter or width of the bottomportion 90. The top portion 85 may be angled and slope from the bottomportion 90 toward the pin 75. In embodiments, the top portion 85 may beat an angle of about 25° to about 45°, preferably about 30° to about35°, for example about 32°, as measured from a vertical axis extendingfrom the outer side of the bottom portion 90. Thus, the top portion 85may have a leading edge 92 that trails a leading edge 94 of the bottomportion 90 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

The pin jacket 80 may have a central longitudinal passageway, bore,groove or opening 97 through which the pin 75 passes. Opposinglongitudinal projections 99 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 may be providedfor securing the pin within the opening 97 in a snug or snap-fitarrangement. The bottom of the pin jacket 80 may include downwardlyextending ridges 100 which extend over and contact the sides of the sideplate 65 as shown in FIGS. 10-13. The ridges 100 help to secure the pinjacket 80 to the side plate and prevent rotational movement of the pinjacket 80 about the pin 75.

Due to the pin jacket 80, the pin assemblies 57 at least substantiallyconcentrically align the differently-sized lower base cakes 5 and upperbase cakes 10, as shown in FIG. 11 in the direction of transport of thelower base cake 5. The bottom portion 90 of the pin jacket 80 pushes thelower base cake 5 and the top portion 85 of the pin jacket 80 serves asa placement guide for and pushes the upper base cake 10, thereby atleast substantially concentrically aligning both base cakes 5, 10. Aportion of the upper base cake 10 may also be in contact with the pin 75so that the pin 75 assists in pushing and aligning the top base cake 10.The leading edge profile provided by the pin assembly 80 is preferablysubstantially the same as the trailing edge profile of the sandwichcookie 1 as shown in FIG. 11. In preferred embodiments, the height ofthe bottom portion 90 of the pin jacket 80 above the top of thesupporting wires 58 may be substantially equal to the height of thebottom base cake 5 as shown in FIG. 11. Also, in preferred embodiments,the height of the top portion 85 of the pin jacket 80 may besubstantially equal to the height of the top base cake 10 as shown inFIG. 11.

As shown in FIG. 10, the conveyer system 45 may also include side railguides 110 for aligning the upper base cakes 10 with the lower basecakes 5 in a direction transverse to the direction of transport of thelower base cakes 5. The opposing side rail guides 110 are locatedoutside of the support wires 58 and the pin assemblies 57. The siderails 110 may extend above and along the length of the supporting wires58 upon which the lower base cakes 5 are transported during and afterfabrication of the sandwich cookie 1. The side rails 1 10 may extendabove and along the length of the supporting wires 58 upon which thelower base cakes 5 are transported through the first magazine, throughthe depositing section, and up to the second magazine, at which pointthe guides are offset to accommodate the upper base cake 10 for thefabrication of the sandwich cookie 1.

After fabrication of the cookie cup sandwich cookie 1 by the sandwichingmachine 42, the sandwich cookies may be transferred to a conveyer foroptional application of a coating material. In embodiments of theinvention, the sandwich cookie 1 may be enrobed in chocolate or acompound coating or treated with another flavoring and/or coloring agentusing conventional coating or enrobing equipment. The sandwich cookiesmay then be conveyed for counting and packaging in a conventionalmanner.

1. A method for continuously producing a sandwich cookie havingdissimilarly-sized base cakes, comprising: a. providing a lower basecake, b. applying a layer of filler cream to the lower base cake, c.applying an upper base cake to the lower base cake so that an outerperiphery of the upper base cake surrounds the layer of filler cream andextends beyond an outer periphery of the lower base cake.
 2. A method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the lower and upper base cakes are pushedand aligned by a plurality of pin assemblies.
 3. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said upper base cake is ring-shaped.
 4. A method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said lower base cake has an invertedfrustoconical shape.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidupper base cake comprises an annular shoulder and a central recessedarea for receiving said filler cream.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 1,wherein said upper base cake has an inverted frustoconical shape.
 7. Amethod as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper and lower base cakesare at least substantially concentrically aligned.
 8. A method asclaimed in claim 2, wherein said pin assemblies comprise inserts orjackets having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portionhaving a diameter smaller than the diameter of said lower portion.
 9. Amethod as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pin assemblies align saidlower and upper base cakes in the direction of transport of said lowerbase cake.
 10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein rails or guidesalign said upper base cake in a direction transverse to the direction oftransport of said lower base cake.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 2,wherein said lower base cake is transported on a plurality of wires bythe plurality of pin assemblies.
 12. A method for producing a sandwichcookie, comprising: laminating a lower base cake with a filler cream sothat the filler cream forms a layer having an outer edge; and placing anupper base cake on the laminated lower base cake so that the upper basecake surrounds said outer edge of the filler cream layer.
 13. A methodas claimed in claim 12, wherein said upper base cake is ring-shaped. 14.A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lower base cake has aninverted frustoconical shape.
 15. A method as claimed in claim 12,wherein said upper base cake comprises an annular shoulder and a centralrecessed area for receiving said filler cream.
 16. A method as claimedin claim 12, wherein said upper base cake has an inverted frustoconicalshape.
 17. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said upper and lowerbase cakes are at least substantially concentrically aligned.
 18. Amethod as claimed in claim 13, wherein a coating is applied to the topof said filler cream through an opening in said upper base cake.
 19. Asandwich cookie, comprising: a. a lower base cake; b. a layer of fillercream laminated to said lower base cake, said layer of filler creamhaving a top surface, a bottom surface, and an outer edge between saidtop surface and said bottom surface; and c. an upper base cake depositedon said lower base cake so that the upper base cake surrounds said outeredge of said layer of filler cream, said upper base cake having a largerdiameter than the diameter of said lower base cake.
 20. A sandwichcookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein said upper base cake isring-shaped.
 21. A sandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein saidlower base cake has an inverted frustoconical shape.
 22. A sandwichcookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein said upper base cake comprises anannular shoulder and a central recessed area for receiving said fillercream.
 23. A sandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein said upperbase cake has an inverted frustoconical shape.
 24. A sandwich cookie asclaimed in claim 19, wherein said upper and lower base cakes are atleast substantially concentrically aligned.
 25. A sandwich cookie asclaimed in claim 20, wherein a coating is applied to the top of saidfiller cream through an opening in said upper base cake.
 26. A sandwichcookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein said lower base cake and saidupper base cake each has an inverted frustoconical shape.
 27. A sandwichcookie as claimed in claim 26, wherein said upper base cake isring-shaped, and said upper and lower base cakes are at leastsubstantially concentrically aligned.
 28. A sandwich cookie as claimedin claim 26, wherein said upper base cake comprises an annular shoulderand a central recessed area for receiving said filler cream, and saidupper and lower base cakes are at least substantially concentricallyaligned.
 29. A sandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein saidupper base cake and said lower base cake each have a circular outeredge.
 30. A sandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein said outeredge of said filler cream layer is not visible.
 31. A sandwich cookie asclaimed in claim 30, wherein at least a portion of said top surface ofsaid filler cream layer is visible through said upper base cake.
 32. Asandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein a portion of said fillercream layer is compressed between said upper base cake and said lowerbase cake without exposing an outer edge of said filler cream layer. 33.A sandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, wherein said sandwich cookieis cup-shaped.
 34. A sandwich cookie as claimed in claim 19, whereinsaid filler cream layer is selected from the group consisting of achocolate or vanilla flavored filling, a fruit filling, jam, jelly,peanut butter, and a cheese flavored filling.
 35. An apparatus for theproduction of sandwich cookies having different-sized base cakes,comprising: at least one rotary molder for producing lower base cakesand upper base cakes having a larger diameter than that of said lowerbase cakes; a filler cream depositor which deposits a layer of fillercream on each of said lower base cakes; and a conveyer system fortransporting and aligning said upper and lower base cakes, said conveyersystem comprising a plurality of pin assemblies that push and align thelower and upper base cakes, wherein each of said pin assembliescomprises a pin and a pin jacket, said pin jacket having a top portionand a bottom portion, said top portion having a leading edge whichtrails a leading edge of the bottom portion so as to at leastsubstantially concentrically align said upper and lower base cakes. 36.An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the top portion of the pinjacket is angled and slopes from the bottom portion of the pin jackettoward the pin.
 37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein that atleast one rotary molder produces both said upper base cakes and saidlower base cakes.
 38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, comprising aplurality of rotary molders wherein said upper base cakes and said lowerbase cakes are produced by different rotary molders.
 39. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 35, wherein said pin jacket snaps onto said pin.
 40. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein said conveyer system comprisesa plurality of wires upon which said lower base cakes are transported.41. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein said conveyer systemfurther comprises rails for aligning the upper base cakes with the lowerbase cakes in a direction transverse to the direction of transport ofsaid lower base cakes.
 42. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, whereinsaid pin assemblies are driven by a chain.
 43. A conveyer system forcontinuously transporting and aligning upper and lower base cakes of asandwich baked good having dissimilarly-sized base cakes, said conveyersystem comprising: a plurality of pin assemblies which push and alignthe lower and upper base cakes, each of said pin assemblies comprising apin and a pin jacket, said pin jacket having a top portion and a bottomportion, said top portion having a leading edge which trails a leadingedge of the bottom portion so as to at least substantiallyconcentrically align said upper and lower base cakes.
 44. A conveyorsystem according to claim 43, wherein the top portion of the pin jacketis angled and slopes from the bottom portion of the pin jacket towardthe pin.
 45. A conveyer system as claimed in claim 43, wherein said pinassemblies align a lower base cake which has an inverted frustoconicalshape with an upper base cake which has an inverted frustoconical shapeto obtain a cup shape.
 46. A conveyer system as claimed in claim 43,wherein said pin assemblies align an upper base cake which is ringshaped.
 47. A conveyer system as claimed in claim 43, further comprisinga plurality of wires upon which said lower base cakes are transported.48. A conveyer system as claimed in claim 43, further comprising railsfor aligning the upper base cakes with the lower base cakes in adirection transverse to the direction of transport of said lower basecakes.
 49. A conveyer system as claimed in claim 43, wherein said pinassemblies are driven by a chain.
 50. A conveyer system as claimed inclaim 43, wherein said pin jacket snaps onto said pin.
 51. A method foradapting a conveyor system for transporting sandwich cookies for thealignment of dissimilarly-shaped base cakes comprising applying a jacketto each pin of the conveyer system, wherein each jacket has a topportion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a leading edgewhich trails a leading edge of said bottom portion so as to at leastconcentrically align two dissimilarly-shaped base cakes.
 52. A methodfor adapting a conveyor system for transporting sandwich cookiesaccording to claim 51, wherein the top portion of the jacket is angledand slopes from the bottom portion of the jacket toward the pin.